1 (UPBEAT MUSIC) Captions by Florence Fournier. Edited by Faith Hamblyn. www.able.co.nz Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2017. (TINKLY MUSIC) The suburb of Ellerslie used to be a day trip destination for pleasure-loving Aucklanders ` a zoo, gardens, the race course. (MUSIC CONTINUES) These days, it's home to an increasingly diverse community, with about a third of its locals being born overseas. (MUSIC CONTINUES) Mention the Maldives, and most people think of idyllic beaches and five-star getaways. But being queer in the Muslim-dominated Maldives means living in fear of persecution. When a close friend of mine had his throat slashed, I knew my life was in real danger. I flew to New Zealand and sought asylum, and I've made my home in Ellerslie. It's an accepting place. I can mince down the main street, catch the train, and no one even bats an eyelash. So let's meet some of the other people who have found Ellerslie is a place to shine. In this episode of Neighbourhood, a stalwart of the local theatre company commits to getting more LGBT works on stage. I think it's important to give at-risk groups a space, a platform to have their work performed. Cos otherwise they can feel like their voices aren't important. An Ellerslie local dishes up some traditional Iranian fare. It's important to cook this kind of food, because it brings everyone together and brings all the memories from childhood we have. And... this is just something that I miss from back home. A Tongan woman shares knowledge that has been passed down generations. I believe it is a paying forward of everything that my aunt and my grandmother and my mother and every other woman in my life has taught me as I've grown up. And an Ellerslie resident brings diversity to the catwalk. The agency has really diverse faces. And we just not just talk about it; we actually show it in our work. And actually we work harder to actually get more roles for our Asian model as well. I'm Medulla Oblongata, and this is my neighbourhood. (DYNAMIC MUSIC) (RELAXED ELECTRONIC MUSIC) I've been performing in drag for about seven years. I like to be in the spotlight. And I'm not afraid to use my time on stage to make a political statement. (ELECTRONIC MUSIC CONTINUES) I wore this outfit, complete with make-up, for my winning performance at Miss Capital Drag 2014. It did create a bit of a stir to wear Muslim garbs, and then strip out of it. When I'm done with this outfit, I'm donating it to Te Papa in Wellington. I love that something as frivolous as a frock can be seen as a symbol of change. (GENTLE MUSIC) In New Zealand, being an Asian model is really tough, I think because the market is not as big as the other countries. You know, for example like New York or Tokyo or Milan, Paris. Everyone knows about these fashion cities. But being in New Zealand, being an Asian model, is always having so much limited opportunities. And we have to fight very hard for it. (ELECTRONIC MUSIC) I have been running the business for four years now, and I've been working really hard on diversities. And that's why the agency has really diverse faces. And we just not just talk about it; we actually show it in our work. And actually we work harder to actually get more role for our Asian model as well. As, you know, just... every model's on a book. I'm from Malaysia and living in Auckland, and I decided to start up my own modelling agency. And always the first thing, most struggle is to think about the name. And because when you set on the name, and it'll go forever. And then I was thinking about, 'Oh, maybe Bintang will be quite good.' Because Bintang means star. (GENTLE MUSIC) I think when I've decided that modelling is my life, and that was when I was in New Zealand Fashion Week. That's 2011. Man, that feeling of walking on that runway, it's just incredible. I have no fright about the runway ` I just really, truly just walked out and enjoyed doing it. I think because I actually scouted the opportunity for myself through networking with, just, designers and, you know, people in Auckland. So... And my ex-agency would never do that, which is,... um, quite a bit of a shame. But I always feel that I belong to the runway, and I needed to do something about it. Yeah, this is me in New York at the New York Fashion Week. So, I was on the runway. My five seconds of fame. Through this experience in New York Fashion Week, um, I think everyone who need to dream big,... and have to put a lot of action into what you have said. You know, if you have this dream, don't just dream it; go and do it. Go and contact the right person, you know, to help you to get there. (RELAXED MUSIC) Ellerslie; I love this neighbourhood. It has so much to offer even though it's small. But because it's quite small, everyone is easy to get together as a community. The goal for this morning is actually to establish some nice street-style kind of photos for both of my bloggers' Instagram account. So, because we have been working for this project for the last two months. And look to the floor? Yeah, that's good. Oh, you're thinking of something. That's good. (MUSIC CONTINUES) Yeah, Sean's look is really good, cos actually, we want to get some more of the urban kind of feeling; you know, industrial; something quite masculine, so we have been working together for two months now. So, um, you know, we're got, you know, about over 1300, uh, followers. (MUSIC FADES) (TINKLY MUSIC) There's all this experience I have gathered all these years, and so now that I'm coaching our models for, you know, just prepping them for the actual world in modelling. So we have workshops that help people to learn about their deportment, how they pose on runway, how they look good in front of camera, direct them. So, we have got you walking really slow, because the idea of waking slow with your beautiful dress is actually harder than you thought, cos actually when you're walking faster, all the drama that you have on, the attitude and everything. Well, all the girls want to be models, you know. And I just really enjoyed myself, enjoyed myself in different kinds of dresses and outfits. This is just what I want to do, simply, yeah. Patrick, he's like, Malaysian-Chinese, and Zoe is Chinese, and I just feel really comfortable talking to them. Yeah, it's a really good company as everyone is so friendly. It's my childhood dream. When I was a child, I was always looking at those beautiful, self-confident models, looking so stunning with costumes, and I always wanted to become one of them. And it just makes me feel, I don't know, more beautiful. I believe everyone is so unique. Everyone's an individual and should never give up hope. That's my message to, you know, whoever feels doubt about themselves. People say to you that, 'You can't do this' or, 'It's impossible for you to be a model.' And what you need to do actually, to have, you know, to start thinking about, 'Oh, what can I actually do,' instead of just listening to these people. And try different ways. There's not just one door. There's a lot of doors that all can open for you. (RHYTHMIC MUSIC) It was hard to have a strong sense of family as a child; my mother died when I was 6 months old, and my father remarried multiple times. (MUSIC CONTINUES) My relationship with my father was never a close one. I was too girly, I had trouble at school, and I had a hard time making friends, all because I was so different. (MUSIC CONTINUES) By the time I was 13, bullying at school had escalated to the point of attempted sexual assault. My father sent me to school in Malaysia because he thought I would be safer. It's taken a few good years and a few good friends for me to really start feeling at home. (UPBEAT MUSIC) When I came to New Zealand first, I didn't know nobody. I had $20 in my pocket, and that was it. Needed a job straight away, no matter what kind, and find a job as a dishwasher, so start washing dishes. And then, one day the chef didn't show up. My boss was panicked and said, 'Oh my God, what am I supposed to do? How are we gonna cook?' I said, 'I can cook it, you know?' He says, 'Can you do it?' I said, 'Yeah, you know, I was watching, always, when I was washing dishes. 'I was watching the guy, what he's doing.' So I start cooking, and my boss says, 'Wow, this is nice. We don't need the chef any more.' (CHUCKLES) I was born in Tehran, in Iran,... a beautiful city with a... perfect four season. There's snow, where some people might surprise. Is there snow in Iran? (LAUGHS) But there is. (LAUGHS) But, yeah, pretty much I didn't do anything at home. I never cook in my life. I never wash anything. Back home, is, like, we stay home until you get married. And when you get married, someone else takes care of everything again, you know? (LAUGHS) I'm going to make a Persian dish. It's called tahchin. It's my favourite. My sister used to make for me. And it's made by rice, uh, yoghurt, um, eggs and saffron and,... uh, chicken. And it comes up like a rice cake, sort of. (SOFT GUITAR MUSIC) And I slowly, slowly find out I'm actually not bad at cooking and I can cook, you know? Which was a surprise to myself. And then, yeah, slowly, slowly become a chef there. Become a manager in there. I was just running everything. And then I start hearing from other people, 'Why don't you open your own restaurant?' So it makes me think, 'Ah, maybe I can just open my own restaurant.' And I find Ellerslie. I managed to open that shop, and it was pretty basic. It was... the simplest shop ever, you know? Bought a couple of second-hand kebab machine, and everything was second-hand. I did everything pretty much myself, you know? It started off only very basic. We opened the door, it was like, 'queue'. I wasn't even expecting that. I said, 'Wow!' And I just, for the lunch I went and bought a little bit of lettuce, a little bit of meat. And it was 1 o'clock ` I ran out of everything. (CHUCKLES) But opening the shop,... It changed entirely my life. So I start making the money over there, slowly, slowly spending the money, and, you know, getting stronger. So even the shop, that shop,... that was the place I met my wife. So that job even make my life even better. (LAUGHS) (TINKLY MUSIC) I had a kebab show for a long time, and I was just basically spending all of my day in a kebab shop and I'm working all day. And then I start having a family, and I want to spend some time with my kids. They grow up so fast. That's the time I was thinking this was the best idea to open a rug business, and if I can finish 5 o'clock, go back home, spend the rest of my day with my kids and family. (GENTLE MUSIC) Yeah. That's what it is ` a masterpiece. Beautiful tahchin. I'm very proud, and it come nicely. You see ` I wasn't lying. And I'm very good at it. (LAUGHS) And my rest of the family, yeah, they live in Iran, and I have one brother actually here. I help him to come here. He's gonna come, uh, have dinner with us, uh, with his family. He just moved here, you know, three, four years ago. He just, sort of, starting to settle down here. Majid do it... Mmm, very nice and very beautiful,... yeah. Because my wife also do it. (CHUCKLING) (LAUGHS) Yeah, I'm doing better than her. Yeah. (LAUGHTER) I think Majid do it better than my wife today. (LAUGHS) (LAUGHTER) It's important to cook this kind of food, because it brings everyone together, brings all the memories from childhood we have. And this is just something that I miss from back home when I was a child and... and the food we had. So by making this, it makes me feel better, and I'll make other people try my food and get to know the culture and everything through these, um... through these dishes. (BIRD CHIRPS) We might have gay marriage in New Zealand now, but the fight for equality within the LGBTIQA+ community isn't over. I would love it if there could be easier access to mental-health services for anybody that needs it. I've come from the Maldives with a degree of trauma that I've never been able to adequately resolve. I believe that everyone deserves to find a road to health and well-being, even if it takes them off the beaten track. Traditional Tongan healers get paid, but as a gift. They consider the service that give to people as a gift. And so for a gift, you've gotta give a gift. And they don't make a business out of it. They believe that if they do make a business out of it, the healing will stop, because it's a gift from above. What my auntie has taught me ` never to go to hospital, first of all. And secondly, just by observing her, she's taught be to care more, actually. Not only about myself ` I care more about other people. Tonga traditional healers are actually common, but they are almost, like, underground. So you have to know someone in order to know who knows a healer, in order to get contacts for them. I smell it for its freshness. Usually, you can smell the oil. Cos the oil ` it's actually oil that comes out of the kavakava'uli. It's a family of the kava, which we usually make as the men use when they go on their drinking campaigns. So I use either a cheesecloth or just anything that I can strain this through. When I was younger, I used to watch my mother do things, and she used to make a poultice out of, um, even a curtain netting, so anything they can strain it through. And then what we do is I put it on the big stone. (GENTLE MUSIC) If you're having a stomach ache, know you've eaten something wrong, and you want something to bring that out; you can also use the juice just to put straight on to ` just say I've got eczema. Especially if the eczema's starting to have sores. You put it directly on to the sores, and then you wrap it up. And you change it every 24 hours. Malie. (CHUCKLES) Very good. Strange enough, as a strong Christian myself, growing under my strict parents' rule, I did believe that, you know, it was witchcraft and sorcery until I started working at South Pacific College of Natural Medicine, of course, in Ellerslie, and that's where I started to change my way of thinking. I now believe that everything in nature is all part of God's work. And, you know, if it was created by God, it should be used for good. And I believe now that we should go back to traditional healing and natural medicine in Tonga. Auntie still does a lot of traditional healing, and I don't think she'll rest. She'll probably die doing it. Auntie Eppie, uh, does, um... in Tonga we call them faito'o, or we have special faito'os for different parts of the body. So she does the massage, and it's probably nearer a physiotherapist in English terms. But people go to her, like, fixing bones, putting bones back into place if they're broken or fractures or, you know, just bruises, internal bruising, and she'll actually massage it back into place. The main thing is I have to be happy to my... keen to do it. The main rule of my massage ` you have to be happy to deliver happy. Auntie Eppie inspires me all the time, whether it's through her massage or not. She has a big heart. And she's known amongst our family ` oh, she'll get angry one week, but you'll still show up and she's got her arms open. (LAUGHS) We're still human. (LAUGHS) I work here at the South Pacific College of Natural Medicine. I'm a database and quality assurance administrator. So every now and then, I'm called in to do an hour's spiel of what I know about our traditional medicine in Tonga. I'm just showing you what Tongans do with kawakawa leaves. We call it kavakava'ulie. We usually use the leaves for... tea. We can brew the leaves straight away and use it as tea or can break it up and get the essential oils out of it. I hope one day that Pasifika natural medicine will run alongside Western medicine. It's important because natural medicine has a more personal side to it, whereas in Western medicine, you just go to a doctor's, and they give you things that you don't even know about it either. They will just prescribe you things. But whereas in the natural Pasifika medicine, you've got your whole family. You've got your whanau. You've got people around you at the same time making decisions together. I believe it is a paying forward of everything that my aunt and my grandmother and my mother and every other woman in my life has taught me as I've grown up. So I believe whatever I impart to other people is part of them as well. (CONTEMPLATIVE PIANO MUSIC) I recently found out that my dear friend Yameen Rasheed was murdered in the Maldives. He was a blogger who was not afraid to speak his mind on freedom of expression. It is so important that voices like his are heard, but it can be too dangerous to talk about these things in the Maldives. I'm pleased to be in a position where I can draw attention to the things that affect my people. It's so important for us to have a platform where we can tell our own stories. I came out late. It wasn't till I was in my 20s that I, kind of, dealt with it and, kind of, realised that I was. I think if anything, I focused so heavily on schoolwork and directing and being creative, I never thought about my sexuality. And it wasn't until I was in uni when I was, like, kind of getting to that age, I guess I start asking girls out, I guess, maybe. But it was around that same time that I was, kind of, doing a lot of reading plays. And there was one play in particular that I read that really resounding with me called Angels In America, which is kind of a famous, famous American gay play. And reading that, kind of, made me realise that there were certain things about myself that I hadn't even known I'd been running from and avoiding dealing with. I was looking for a way to, kind of, continue, kind of, growing, and that's when I, kind of, saw an audition notice for Ellerslie Theatre for their one-act play festival. And funnily enough, it was for a gay young man needed for this short script. And I haven't really left Ellerslie Theatre since then, and that was, like, eight or nine years ago. And I've stayed mainly because the people are great. The people are passionate, and the people are a family. And over the years, kind of, I've become more and more interested, I guess, in writing. Like, it wasn't, I wouldn't say, one of my strong points. And it's still a work in progress, but I enjoy writing. And especially as, kind of, a gay man, I wasn't finding the stories that I want to direct. I wasn't finding things that I could, you know, identify with to, kind of, share on stage. So the natural tendency is just to write your own. I thought if I could, kind of, create a platform that took some of my lessons that I learned in community theatre and working on, kind of, short one-act plays and develop, kind of, voices and develop stories to, kind of, go off and to do whatever, really. We just wanna give a space for, kind of, those people to try telling their story, try to find their voice. So far, we've had four really successful years of Legacy Project. Each year, we take in six writers and develop, kind of, six short one-act kind of plays, about 10 or 15 minutes each, which, kind of, makes up a programme of about 90 minutes each year. Because Legacy Project is a development programme, I always wanted the project to be in a constant state of development too. And a huge part of that is each year we, kind of, debrief with all our writers and directors and, kind of, have conversations with them about what's working, what's not working and how we can constantly improve. Cole's coming in today to, kind of, have his, kind of, debrief from the show that he directed this year. So here's the shots of your show that you directed. Wow. They're really cool. Yeah. It came across great. I love the light on that one. Mm. Yeah. Like, that's the thing about that space is it's so vast, but sometimes the vastness can speak volumes for when you just, kind of, contain it in. Legacy Project has just... you know, it sounds really cheesy to say it, but it definitely was, kind of, a real groundbreaking moment in my life, particularly, again, you know, around my own confidence with creative things. It can take a lot to actually feel like you can own those labels. Like, you know, I am a writer. I am an actor or an artist or whatever. Yeah. And it was just through that, I think, it definitely led to throwing my hat in the ring with other things, which, you know, I'm now writing scripts on and off for Shortland Street, which is still a little bit surreal. (CONTEMPLATIVE GUITAR MUSIC) We're here to have a rehearsal for some stuff for Legacy Project. I think it's important to, kind of, give at-risk groups, kind of, a space, a platform to, kind of, have their work performed. Cos otherwise they can feel like their voices aren't important. Jay, this is the world. Shut up. 'What I've really loved about working with Ellerslie Theatre is just how welcoming everyone is to, 'kind of, for anything. They're not scared of working with people with little to no experience. 'And it's just a really great community.' You're no fun. I tell you about all my girls. You mean that one girl from Epsom? Yeah, and the others. Liar! Like who? Like, you know... And that Epsom girl? She dumped you. No, I was the dumpee. I think there can be always more opportunities, especially for, kind of, at-risk, queer writers to have a platform to share their experiences and to share their voice. What I've learned from living in a culture that's not as tolerant as New Zealand is that you have to be kind with one another. Refugees aren't bad or dangerous people; they're just like everyone else. They're just looking for a second chance at love, family and belonging. New Zealand lets in 750 quota refugees every year, yet there are millions of people suffering all over the world. So if New Zealand could welcome more people, such as myself, it would give us the opportunity to give back not only to this country, but to the world. Captions by Florence Fournier. Edited by Faith Hamblyn. www.able.co.nz Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2017.